More than Love
by Jetainia
Summary: As a child of Aphrodite, Amelia worries about her lack of romantic attraction.


**MC4A; Hogwarts**

Fill 4  
Stacked with: Hogwarts; BAON; FPC  
Individual Challenges: In a Flash (N); Yellow Ribbon (N); Yellow Ribbon Redux (N); New Fandom Smell (Y); Brush (N)  
Representations: Aphrodite; Aromantic character  
Bonus Challenges: Nontraditional; Second Verse (Bechdel Test; Not a Lamp; White Dress)  
Word count: 723  
Prompts: Aphrodite (auction); Broken (365 words); Anxious (Insane Prompts)

* * *

The temple was silent as she walked up to it. Not that she had expected anything different; the temples of the Greek Gods were often left to gather dust as the world pretended to leave such 'primitive' practices behind them. She could see the signs that showed someone still came here regularly and she smiled. It was nice to know that even as the world tried to forget the past, there were some who remembered it and still walked the paths their ancestors did.

Amelia stopped just shy of the entrance to Aphrodite's temple. She wasn't sure if she wanted to do this. She wasn't sure if she was _ready_ to do this. It was why she had made the trip to the temple instead of just calling out to the goddess. It had been a way of stalling the moment as well having a greater connection to her.

Finally, she stepped forward and entered the slowly crumbling temple. It was dark, with only the moonlight shining through the doorway and various small holes lighting up the interior. Amelia could see the shapes of what she knew must be statues of Aphrodite and her symbols. A small flame lit up the area directly in front of her as a single candle burned below a swan statue.

Amelia fell to her knees in front of the statue, tears already forming in her eyes as she thought about what might happen soon. She didn't want to know the answer to her question, but she also knew she wouldn't be able to sleep without it.

With a shaky voice, she called out, "Mother?"

There was no answer and Amelia felt a cold fear spread throughout her body. What if Aphrodite had already disowned her? What if she wasn't worthy of being a daughter of the goddess of love anymore? With her fear so great, it didn't occur to her that perhaps Aphrodite was busy or listening but not revealing herself.

"I… I'm sorry, Mother," Amelia choked out. "I'm not a proper daughter for you. You're the goddess of love and I…I don't love. I _can't_ love in the way everyone expects me to. I love my friends and my family, but romantic love? The thing that you are most known for and I should be able to feel as your daughter? It's just not there, Mother!"

The flame flickered. Arms wrapped around Amelia and she was pulled back into a soft hug. Hands started running through her hair gently as Amelia tried and failed to stop the sobs wracking her body.

"Hush, child," Aphrodite whispered. "There is no need to be so fearful of letting me down. You are still my daughter, and you are not broken in any way."

"But—"

"No buts. There is more to me than love and lust. I was a goddess of the sea once, and of war. I do not demand my children follow in my footsteps."

"The others…"

"The others are not you, nor are you them. If anything, what I demand from my children is the courage to be themselves and to use that as a weapon against the world."

"You're not angry with me?" Amelia had to check, had to confirm that what she thought was happening was real.

"I am not. I have had many children who do not feel romantic attraction, it does not reflect shame on you, my dear, and you are not broken because of it."

With those words, Amelia felt as though the world itself had been lifted off her shoulders and she sagged in her mother's arms. She had been so afraid that Aphrodite would declare her no longer a daughter of the goddess. She had thought maybe Aphrodite and Mr. D would ban her from ever entering Camp Half-Blood again.

She knew there was no way she would have been able to bear it if she had been forced to leave her siblings and Cabin 10 because of something she had tried so hard to deny and fix. Aphrodite held her closer and continued running soothing fingers through her daughter's hair.

Amelia had fallen into an exhausted and healing sleep when Aphrodite whispered, "Love is not what defines you, Amelia. There is more than love to the world and to living. Do not fret. I will always be here."


End file.
